Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
When using the Gaussian Blur filter, you have to set its
radius
, which controls how much the
filter blurs things; a higher radius produces more blurring. Use the filter's preview window to
see what you're doing.
Gaussian blur is the classic way to isolate a subject from its background, but Elements gives
you an even better way to artistically blur a background: the Lens Blur filter, described next.
Lens Blur: Creating Depth of Field
If you have a point-and-shoot camera, you know how hard it is to get your subject sharp and
the background artistically blurred the way you can with larger DSLR (digital single-lens re-
flex) cameras. To create that effect after the fact, you could add a Gaussian blur as explained
in the previous section, but the Gaussian Blur filter applies the exact same blur over the
whole area you apply it to. If you look at a photo taken with a DSLR and a good lens, you'll
notice that the amount of blurring (called the
bokeh
by those in the know) varies a bit. For
example, the far distance is completely blurred, while you may still be able to distinguish ob-
jects immediately in front of and behind the focus area.
Elements' Lens Blur filter helps to simulate a real bokeh a little better than a simple Gaussi-
an Blur can. Using the Lens Blur filter is tricky, but with a little fiddling you can often get
results that are closer to what you could do with a DSLR camera than you can get with Gaus-
sian Blur. To get the best results, though, you need to be comfortable with layer masking
(
Layer Masks
) and gradients (
Applying Gradients
). If you're just starting out with Elements,
try the Depth Of Field effect in Guided Edit's Photo Effects category; it's not in the same
class as this filter, but the Lens Blur filter isn't for the faint of heart.
If you just go straight to the Lens Blur filter without doing anything to prepare your image
for it, Elements blurs your entire image, so first you need to figure out the area you want to
keep in focus. (If your goal is to create a soft-focus effect, then use a tiny amount of Lens
Blur on the whole photo.) The simplest way is to select what you want to keep in focus, go to
Select→Inverse to select everything
but
that area, and then apply the Lens Blur filter. But if
you do that, you'll just have a uniform blur all over, without the graduated effect you'd get in
a fancy camera. To achieve that effect, here's what you need to do:
1.
Duplicate the layer you want to apply the blur to
.
Go to Layer→Duplicate or press Ctrl+J/
⌘
-J.
2.
On the new layer, select the area you want to keep in focus, and then delete it
.
